Timb113

Rachel, you can do it. It's not easy at first...well, it doesn't get easy. But it's so worth it. I started the app this summer, ran two 5Ks in August, and now I'm less than two weeks out from running my first 10K! You can do it!

Jewel, I think running more days in a week is possible early in the program. When I first started the C25K program, I was running four days a week and going for 3 or 4-mile walks with my dog the other days. Once you get into the fifth or sixth week, you're running further distances and it's tough to keep that much activity. Your legs will definitely let you know when you need a day or two of rest. Good luck!

Rose, I run in the morning, when the temp here is usually in the mid-30s (F). I find that just getting something that keeps the cold air off the skin is best. It doesn't need to be really think or bulky, or that just becomes restricting. Once you've gotten 10-15 minutes into you run, you'll be warmed up from the exercise anyway. A key for me is a hat to keep my head warm, and that's something that easy enough to carry for the remainder of your run if you become too warm.

Do you get tense when you run? It sounds like it might be a cramp because your muscles are tight while running. Try to let your upper body muscles relax as much as possible when running.

For me, this is easy in almost every aspect of life, but i found that part of my problem when I got to the longer distances of running was my brain got in the way. I has always gone the same route through my neighborhood, and after doing the 20-minute run, I knew where i finished the run portion. Later, when the time increased, once I got to that spot where I finished the 20-minute run my brain thought I should be done. I was on vacation for the next week, and was able to run easily past 20 minutes, came back home and had the same problem when I hit 20 minutes. I've started adjusting my route so that my brain does not know where I'm supposed to start walking. It may just be me, but it's made a huge difference now that I'm going farther distances. Hopefully it will help someone else out there.

You will quickly find out that pushing yourself to do more, and go farther, is addictive. Just get a few weeks in and you'll continue to want to do more! Good luck.

Shanna, great job. Keep working hard!

Nicole, my suggestion is to not repeat until you try a day and cannot complete it. Don't repeat just because a day was pretty hard. I'm into week 11 and none of them have been "easy," but the feeling of doing more than I thought possible does not get old with each week. There is no such thing as too heavy to do this program. You've already gotten to week 2, so you can do it! Keep up the hard work, it will all be worth it. And, as I've learned, don't just look at weight lost, but being healthy. I haven't lost a lot of weight, as I'd hoped to, but my clothes are fitting much better.

farmgirl, don't get upset, you haven't tried to pick up where you left off yet. Don't worry until there is something to worry about. After working for a few weeks, taking a week off should not set you back too much. I would set my goal as picking up where you left off, and try to push through. As I've found (I'm into week 11 having never thought it would be possible to get this far), a lot of times it's more mental than anything else. If you have to fall back to 60-second runs, do so, but make the effort for the full 90-seconds. You can do it!

I tend to eat after running as well. I wake up and get dressed and hit the road, then eat some fresh fruit after I get to work in the morning.

Kate, take it slow. Don't compare yourself to others, just challenge yourself to be better than the you from the previous day. Don't be afraid to repeat days if necessary. And be prepared for hard and discouraging days - they will happen - but it will make all the successes feel that much more incredible!

Viva, start at the beginning. If you're in pretty good shape already you could do the first week or two without the rest days. But by the time you get to week three, you'll want to take that day off. Use the early weeks as a chance to get used to the app.

Make sure you hydrate, and take it slow. Running outside (especially in heat) is a completely different animal to running on the treadmill. I usually run before/as the sun comes up. On the weekends, I run a little later, and that sun drains me quickly. Keep all the different variables in mind. Time of day, heat/humidity, home much sleep you had the night before, how much you've hydrated, etc. It all plays into your body's reaction to the workout.

Obviously, be safe. But try to push through. I just finishished the C25K program last week and if I learned anything, it's that your body can do so much more than your mind thinks it can. A lot of times you can keep going, even when you feel exhausted. Finishing that full 20 minutes felt just about as good as crossing the finish line in my first 5K this past weekend, as it seemed like such a huge obstacle to overcome. But you can do it!

Jennie, my alarm goes off at 5:30 am, and I'm usually awake before that. It's tough getting out of bed when it's still dark out, but it's been nice as the days have been warm to have the nice cool temps to run in. Keep it up!

The app will lower the music when it needs to speak (but only when you have the phone (iphone, at least) awake). If the phone is dark, it will not quiet the music.

Fruit! You can keep plenty of fresh fruit with you, at room (outdoor) temps that will give you plenty of energy (peaches, bananas, apples). Wash them before you go and you'll be in good shape.

I started the program three times in the past year and completed it just this past week. I didn't think I'd get through the 90-second runs, and then the greatest obstacle became the 20-minute run in week 5. Finally, the 30 minutes of running and running in my first 5K. I've walked a few 5Ks and earlier this summer I walk/jogged one, but this morning, I ran the entire 5K, placing eighth of 21 in my age group. That wasn't what mattered -- it was the great feeling of not giving in to the urge to walk at any point (which came about a dozen times). I set a time goal, which I beat by more than a minute, but that didn't matter as well. Doing it, seeing my clothes fitting better, and losing weight are what has made it worth it. Knowing that I'll be able to live longer and spend more time with my kids made it worth it. And now, knowing that I'm going to move on to C210K and step up to the next level is making it worth it. I always hated running. I played sports in school like golf and baseball -- because we didn't have to run. Well, you can officially call me a runner. And I'm loving the path it's taking me down!

I bypass the C25K app for music and use Pandora. You can find some really good mixes to keep your energy up with that. And it's free.

Keep pushing, you'll get through! If the heat is a problem, try getting out there early in the morning (maybe once a week). I started this summer getting up at 5:30 a.m., and once you're actually out of bed, it's easy to get going and not make excuses.

You can also get out there and walk on the off days. The off days are when I take the dog, as she couldn't keep up with my by the end of week two. (That felt really good).

Caitlin, C25K does not offer this, that I know of. I use MapMyWalk along with the C25K app and go back to review that way.

Becky, there are many you can find, probably some similar to the ZenLabs version, online. You can also look through the plan from the beginning to end. I always like to know a few days out what's coming. So I was always looking a week ahead or so. You could always write it out to have too. Wouldn't take long with just the 24 workouts.

Ash, I was never a runner, but finally decided I needed something to get in shape. This is the avenue I went as we have a 5K at my national convention earch year, and seemed like a goal I could set. I was not ready for the 5K at my convention in June, but I started training hard after. I'm into Week 7 now, and run my first 5K in two weeks. I'm very excited. If you've ever thought about getting a dog, they can be a great workout partner. Ours starts going nuts when my alarm goes off in the morning, because she knows it's time to run! I'm also from Maryland, so keep working hard, fellow Mid-Atlantic resident!

Michelle, having jumped to the 10K app, you need to sign up for a 10K at some point. That will be the motivation that you need to get out of bed and get training! Good luck.